Followers

Monday, April 23, 2012

KOREAN RECIPES: Korean Burdock Root Dishes (2)

DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS, HEALTHY KOREAN BUDDHIST TEMPLE FOODS

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.” This is the golden rule of eating healthy that you might find simply too hard to follow. Then just try to eat like a Buddhist monk; you will get (and stay) fit and healthy while still enjoying very delicious food.

Traditional Korean Buddhist temple food is one of the world's healthiest. Firstly, it is strictly vegetarian, even no dairy, and hence very rich in dietary fiber. Secondly, it is a low-salt, low-sugar, and low-calorie diet. Thirdly, it never uses artificial flavor enhancer (100% MSG-free) but uses natural seasonings only such as mushroom powder, kelp powder, Chinese pepper seed powder, perilla seed powder, and bean/nut powder. Not only do these seasonings enhance the flavor of foods but offer myriad health benefits per se. Fourthly, it primarily uses what’s in season so you can get the most flavor and nutritional value. Fifthly, it is based on the belief that food is the cure, Sik-Yak-Dong-Weon (식약동원(食藥同源), “Food and medicine are identical.”). In other words, what we eat can cure what we have. For example, Buddhist monks eat cabbages to aid digestion, ginkgo nuts marinated in sesame seed oil to cure lung problems, and pickled Chinese peppers for their anthelmintic action. Finally, the Buddhist monks always serve themselves small portions of the foods. Just as the late venerable Buddhist leader Beopjeong (법정) wrote in his book, Musoyu (무소유, “Non-Possession”), we’d better start eating less, coveting less, and possessing less.

2.Seasoned
Noodles with Korean Burdock
and Vegetables

(Ueong Japchae, 우엉잡채)

Ueong Japchae: I substituted rice noodles for Dangmyeon(sweet potato starch noodles) as I ran out of them.

Ueong Japchae (우엉잡채, “Seasoned Korean Burdock and Vegetable Shreds”) is one
the most common traditional Korean Buddhist temple foods, in which Korean
burdock roots substitute for beef. Contrary
to popular thought, Japchae refers to
a dish made only with vegetables such as mushrooms, Korean radishes (Mu, 무), carrots, onions, cucumbers, and spinach. It was not until the early 20th century that Dangmyeon (당면, “sweet potato starch noodles”) added to the dish; the
noodles have become a primary ingredient of this dish ever since. Japchae
(made with noodles) has been one of my all time favorite dishes from day
one, and lately, I’ve been frequently substituting rice noodles for Dangmyeon (“sweet potato starch noodles”)
just for convenience' sake.

FYI, in such Korean words as Dangmyeon, Danggeun or Hongdangmu
(carrots), and
Dangnagwi (donkey), the word “dang” indicates what country they were
originated from, i.e., ancient China. Literally,
Dangmyeon translates to “The Tang
Dynasty’s noodles,” Danggeun “The
Tang Dynasty’s roots,” Hongdangmu “The
Tang Dynasty’s red raddish,” and Dangnagwi
“The Tang Dynasty’s ass (animal),” in which it doesn’t necessarily mean
those were imported from (during) the Tang Dynasty (618~907) but simply
indicates “from China.” Dangmyeon was originally made from Mung bean
starch, the exact kind of cellophane noodles you can find in your local grocery
markets now, but in Korea, it has evolved into a distinctive Koreanized version –
Dangmyeon refers to
the noodles made from “sweet potato starch” or “potato starch” in today’s Korea.

Authentic Japchae is made in
a similar way how it is done in a traditional pound cake recipe, in which you
use a pound of each of four ingredients (flour, butter, eggs, and sugar). In other words, you are supposed to use the
same amount of each ingredient in the traditional recipe for the dish. Nowadays, however, a little too much noodles
are used in restaurants or in products made for sale. If you’re a huge noodle fan (like I am), add
just a little bit more of them, no more than twice the amount, to have a balanced, more palatable, diet.(Note that you’ll have to increase the amount
of seasoning sauce accordingly.)

if you like spicy
food. You can also substitute (or add) spinach for green peppers.

PREPARATIONS:

1. Soak the Dangmyeonnoodles (or rice noodles) in hot water for
about 30 minutes until fully reconstituted.
Drain well. With Scissors, cut
the noodles into 7” lengths.

2. Slice Pyogo
mushrooms and pour the marinade mixture over them. Let it sit. In case you use beef meat, marinate beef
instead. You will later stir-fry the
mushrooms in the juices from the meat leak out after you stir-fry the beef.

3. Cut each vegetable into thin slices or shreds
(2~2.5” lengths).

COOKING:

1. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and
pour enough grape seed oil to generously coat the pan. The authentic way to cook is stir fry
vegetables separately. But if you’re in
a hurry, then start from stir frying the onions and carrots first. Then add the
Pyogo mushrooms and bell peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue stir-frying
until the vegetables are tender but still crunchy and crispy. Remove from heat and transfer into a large
mixing bowl. Let cool.

I substituted cabbage for mushroomsas I ran out of them.

2. In case you use beef meat, add I TBSP grape seed
oil in the frying pan and stir fry the marinated beef over medium-high
heat until fully cooked. Transfer to the mixing bowl.

3. Then add the mushroom slices the juices
from the meat leak out in the pan and stir fry. Transfer to the mixing bowl.

4. Add soaked and drained Dangmyeon noodles to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 1~2
minutes. Drain the noodles through a strainer and
immediately transfer to the pan to prevent sticking. Sauté the noodles for a minute and transfer
to the mixing bowl. (In
case you use rice noodles instead, skip boiling and just sauté.)

5. Add Ueong
Jorim (Braised Korean burdock roots)into
the mixing bowl. Pour the seasoning sauce over the vegetable and noodle mixture.
You can adjust the amount of soy sauce
or sugar to achieve the desired saltiness or sweetness. Beware to season a little stronger to your usual
taste as the moisture from the vegetables will dilute the salty taste of the
dish.

6. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Mix with your
hands until well combined. You may want
to wear a thin cotton glove under a plastic one when the noodles are still hot.

. (In case you use rice noodles, use
your both hands to detangle the noodle strips.)